(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Chicago’s Board of Education met Thursday for the first time since the full board membership abruptly resigned amid ongoing tensions between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.

The seven new board members, appointed by Johnson earlier this month, were sworn in during Thursday’s agenda review committee meeting. Those new members include the Rev. Mitchell Ikenna Johnson, who was selected as board president, and Mary Gardner, who will serve as vice president.

“This is a moment in time that we cannot afford to squander,” Johnson said. “My opinion is the mayor has a clear vision for public education here in Chicago — a fully-funded school district that gives every Chicagoan a world-class public school in their neighborhoods.”

Martinez, who was also present at Thursday’s meeting, has seen questions swirl about his continued employment with the school district.

Martinez has said the mayor asked him to resign his position, but he has refused to do so. Johnson is not able to fire Martinez — that decision can only come from the board itself.

Thursday’s agenda did not include any items specifically relating to Martinez or his employment, but it did include language that during the board’s closed session it would discuss “the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees.”

That language, however, is typical for board agendas and the meeting concluded Thursday evening without the board taking any action regarding Martinez.

Martinez did not discuss his job status, but did speak briefly Thursday after several parents and staffers from Acero charter schools — which announced plans to close seven of its schools — asked CPS and the board to step in and halt those closures.

Martinez said the district is “very troubled … very concerned” with the closure plans and is having discussions with Acero leadership to understand the situation.

“Board members we will bring that to you,” he told Johnson, “and this again is a priority, sir.”

The agenda review meeting had initially been scheduled for last week, but was delayed, along with the board’s regular monthly meeting, following the sudden membership turnover early this month.

The board is set to expand to 21 members in January and Chicago residents will have the opportunity to elect 10 of those members in the first-ever board elections. The remaining members will be appointed by Johnson.

None of the seven board members who resigned have since spoken publicly about their decision to step down, but they announced in a joint statement with Johnson that they understood that with a hybrid board on the horizon, “laying a strong foundation for the shift is necessary to serve the best interests of students and families in Chicago Public Schools.”

But their resignations also came amid ongoing strife between Johnson and Martinez following squabbles over finances, possible future school closures and the district’s ongoing contract negotiations with Johnson’s former employer, the Chicago Teachers Union.

In addition to Johnson and Gardner, the other new board appointees include: Olga Bautista, Michilla Blaise, Deborah Pope, Frank Niles Thomas and Rafael Yáñez.

Yáñez, who ran unsuccessfully to represent the 15th Ward on the Chicago City Council in 2015 and 2019, was announced as the board’s seventh member just this week, while the other six were appointed days after the outgoing board members announced their resignations.

The members each recited an oath of office at the start of Thursday’s meeting and introduced themselves to the public.

Blaise called the last few weeks “an amazing sort of whirlwind” and said that despite the tumultuous time for the school district, she plans to bring “calm” to the board.

“We’re here for the kids and the families,” she said, “we’re here for the schools, we’re here to make sure people are safe (and) to make sure that people are getting what they need.”

Following Thursday's agenda review committee meeting, the board is set to reconvene for its first full meeting Nov. 1.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431